Menahem Golan built an empire on the backs of brawny men beating each other senseless.

The Israeli producer-director died Friday night at the age of 85.

Golan, who once said “Schlock is entertainment for the masses,” was a pioneer of the Israeli film industry, producing about 200 films in Israel and Hollywood.

One of his most famous in the tough-guy, action genre is “Bloodsport,” a film that introduced audiences to Jean-Claude Van Damme.

He produced movies for such screen heros as Sean Connery, Sylvester Stallone, Charles Bronson and Chuck Norris.

Golan served in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, and then studied theater in London.  He founded his own theater in Tel Aviv before going to New York for further studies in theatre.

Returning to film,  with his cousin Yoram Globus, the pair founded the film production company Golan-Globus.